The supporters of the Stade Toulousain on the Place du Capitole after their team’s victory against Toulon, in the Top 14 final, June 10, 2012. – FRED SCHEIBER / 20 MINUTES
- This Saturday, at 5:45 p.m., Stade Toulousain faces La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final at Twickenham.
- The Rouge & Noir supporters who remained in Toulouse will not be able to experience the match under normal conditions due to the health crisis.
- The authorities have banned match broadcasts and gatherings at Place du Capitole and Saint-Pierre, or brought forward the closing of the terraces to 7 p.m. to avoid crowds.
The supporters of Stade Toulousain have been waiting to see their club hang a new star on their jersey for eleven years. And for the past year, they have been yearning for a breath of fresh air. This Saturday, with the Champions Cup final, which will see the Rouge & Noir face La Rochelle on the Twickenham lawn, they thought they could kill two birds with one stone.
But there. To limit the circulation of the coronavirus, the prefecture has decided to take drastic measures for the day of Saturday, in order to avoid any overflow in the Pink City, and this, whatever the result.
No match broadcast
“At a time when a certain number of establishments will be able to reopen, where the terraces of cafes and restaurants will once again be accessible, it is essential to avoid any massive and uncontrolled gathering that could cause the circulation of the virus to resume on the rise. This is a strong concern expressed by many health professionals, industry and catering, but also a large number of our fellow citizens, frightened at the idea of being faced with a human tide on the afternoon of the rugby match, ”the prefecture indicated in a press release.
Beyond the call to the responsibility of each one, the services of the State, in relation with the managers of the club, health and the town hall, have taken coercive decisions to limit the crowds and the massive influx people in the city center.
Thus, all bars and restaurants are prohibited from broadcasting the match on screens, whether on terraces or in public spaces.
Terraces close at 7 p.m.
When the match is due to start at 5:45 p.m., the same terraces in downtown Toulouse, that is to say located in the part limited by the boulevards, must close at 7 p.m., against 9 p.m. elsewhere. It will therefore be difficult to start to follow a match while sipping a drink in the sun or to come back to the table a little later to celebrate the victory.
To prevent the party from moving on public roads, the consumption and sale of alcohol on public roads are prohibited. Just like the access to the central place of the Capitol or the place Saint-Pierre, high places of gathering of the supporters of the Stade Toulousain during the last victories.
Part of the city will still be decked out in Red and Black, including allées Jean-Jaurés, from Friday morning, to support the club. Stade Toulousain also encourages its supporters to support its team by displaying its colors on balconies and windows and by using social networks.